To say it was a beautiful day would not begin to explain it. It was that day when the end of summer intersects perfectly with the start of fall.
— Ann Patchett
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Posts Tagged ‘#365Ways’
That Day
Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, endings and beginnings, fall, summer, Thoughts on August 27, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Vroom!
Posted in Science!, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, Thoughts on August 26, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Excerpt from a random discussion with my father, recreated here in case you too want to know:*
I’d include some interesting factoids about the speed of light or something, but I decided to make bread followed by a whipped cream cake (we finished the cheesecake last night), so I’ll end with this:
- I should clarify: my father already knew the answer to this question. I have also learned that in the third grade he planned to be a rocket scientist. (Very cool.) The fact that I did not know this detail about light speed offhand tells you, fair reader, that I did not plan to be a rocket scientist.
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Food You Can Make So You Don’t Die
Posted in Food and..., tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, cooking, food, free on August 25, 2023| Leave a Comment »
I have not tested this cookbook, but it looks fun and it’s free and the illustrations are excellent and there are copious speculative fiction references, and I dig the vibe.
The title is funny but I submit that it is too reductive. One doesn’t need to be a sad bastard to enjoy quick, easy cooking. I’ve also spent a non-zero part of my life eating versions of many of these recipes, and know them for the lifesavers that they can be.
Are you newly parted from the parental homestead? Newly parenting? Only have half an hour before you have to log on for a Warcraft raid? Are you just really, really freaking tired?
This may be the cookbook for you.
The Sad Bastard Cookbook: Food you can make so you don’t die
By Rachel A. Rosen and Zilla Novikov
Illustrated by Marten Norr
This cookbook is all the recipes you already make, when you’ve worked a 16-hour day, when you can’t stop crying and you don’t know why, when the eldritch abomination you woke at the bottom of the ocean won’t go back to sleep. And hopefully, this cookbook gives you some new meal ideas. Even Sad Bastards have to eat.
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An Interesting Find
Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, home, interesting creatures on August 24, 2023| Leave a Comment »
You know how I’m always going on about how nice it is to not mow because duh, mowing is a drag, but also because it creates space for plants and insects we don’t usually see in your average suburban lawn? Well, the good news is that my backyard is busy. Not only do I have lemon verbena and apple mint and milkweed popping up from previous years’ seeds, along with aster and grapes and lamb’s quarters and sorrel and the like, yay, but I just met something new.
Meet the pigeon horntail, which is not a pigeon and not a dragon but is instead a giant insect native to these parts. I’ve never seen one before and I certainly didn’t expect to meet one while out refilling the bird bath.
Halfway into the yard a loud buzzing caught my attention. It sounded like a phone on vibrate, but no. It was instead a very large (and somewhat scary looking) wasp-like creature, about two inches long with a ginormous stinger-like protuberance (not a stinger, but I didn’t know it at the time). It appeared to be freshly born as the buzzing was from its sole moving wing. The second wing was still stuck to its body. I happened to have clear pitcher with me and popped it over top of the thing to get a photo, then looked it up.
Pigeon Horntail (Tremex columba) · iNaturalist Canada
Let’s see:
— Tremex columba, species of wasp also known as the horntail wasp or wood wasp
— native to eastern and western North America (good, so I don’t have to kill it like a lantern fly or murder hornet)
— does not sting or bite (phew, seriously, that tail thingie is no joke)
All good. They like decaying wood so I’m guessing its parental figure was attracted by the stack of wood we acquired after trimming the trees.
I’m not a bug person but it was an interesting new find. I watched until it freed its second wing. And off it flew.
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Summer Love
Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, memories, summer, Thoughts on August 23, 2023| Leave a Comment »
It’s the end of August and I feel the way I did as a kid, watching the school year approach. The weather has mimicked Fall for weeks but now it’s almost here in truth. Cool winds, thunderstorms, and the inexorable sense that the seasons continue to turn.
And now, I’m missing something that is not yet gone.
To summer, with love.
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Surprise of the Day
Posted in Food and..., tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, food, guilty pleasures, Thoughts on August 22, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Wait, Fritos and Triscuits have about the same amount of sodium?
Triscuits: 170mg per 28g = 6/g
Fritos: 300mg per 50g = 6/g
Excuse me while I go get some more Fritos.
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Me and My Spotlight
Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, #wotf39, creativity, genre fiction, interviews, Writers, Writers of the Future, writing on August 21, 2023| Leave a Comment »
I recently took part in an interview with Madilynn Dale from The Chapter Goddess, about writing, the Writers of the Future experience, and the creative life in general. I think I’ve mentioned that I’m a little shy, but Madi gave a fun and friendly interview and I had a good time. Hope you enjoy it too.
Creative Spotlight on Award-Winning Author J.R. Johnson
This is a collection of questions answered by this amazing author for her “Creative Spotlight on Award-Winning Author J.R. Johnson” article featured here. They may or may not have been answered in the live. I loved chatting with her and hope you take some helpful information away from our chat.
Thanks, Madi!
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One Cool Thing
Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, #wotf39, creativity, genre fiction, Thoughts, Writers, writing, yay on August 20, 2023| Leave a Comment »
One cool thing about being a writer with writer friends is that sometimes, you have the opportunity to read their stories before other folks. I’ve just finished reviewing a friend’s new novel and it is excellent.
I don’t know when it will see the light of day so I’ll wait to promo it, but it was a treat. Can’t wait until you can read it too!
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I’ll Take It
Posted in Food and..., tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, food, recipes on August 19, 2023| 2 Comments »
Good news, Peoples of Earth! I am happy to report that the recent chocolate cheesecake experiment was a success.
Difficulty rating: easy, except for questions around the pan and the ingredient updates, but now I’ve got the process figured out. Also, my current pan makes cutting difficult.
Appearance: not terrible, despite the cracks caused by over-baking. Next time I’ll stick to the temperature guides and ignore the jiggle factor. The 9” x 3” pan made that less than reliable. Also, next time I’ll fancy it up with whipped cream and fruit.
Flavor: Mr Man’s assessment, and I quote, “F’ing delicious.”
I’ll take it.
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Again, here is the original recipe and my version of the updates, recorded here for posterity (and by that I mean the next time I make this, which will be soon!):
Epic New York Cheesecake From BraveTart
Chocolate Version
Crust:
225g Biscoff cookies
57g melted butter
pinch of salt
Cheesecake:
905g full-fat cream cheese, brought to about 70°F/21°C
112g fresh goat cheese (not pre-crumbled), brought to about 70°F/21°C
32g Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 tsp espresso powder (didn’t have this so I steeped 6 coffee beans in the cream, remove after boiling)
15g vanilla extract
1g Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use about half as much by volume or the same weight
250g plain sugar
300g/6 large eggs
170g heavy cream
225g semi-sweet chocolate, added to the cream after boiling and stirred until melted
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Worth Every Minute
Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, creativity, fun, genre fiction, inspiration, Thoughts, Writers, writing on August 18, 2023| Leave a Comment »
“If you love what you do and are willing to do what it takes, it’s within your reach. And it’ll be worth every minute you spend alone at night, thinking and thinking about what it is you want to design or build. It’ll be worth it, I promise.”
― Steve Wozniak
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